Sanna: What kind of learners (players) may be found using the game?

Richard Bartle (1996) proposed in “Hearts, Clubs, Diamonds, Spades. Players who suit MUDs.” a gamer taxonomy in Multiplayer-Online-Games:

• Achievers (reaching a specific goal, levelling);
• Explorers (exploring all localities, mechanics, possibilities of the game);
• Socialisers (empathising, sympathising, grouping, connecting);
• Impositiors (mastering others, killing, destroying)

Tracy Fullerton (2008) did the same in “Game Design Workshop. A Playcentric Approach to create innovative Games.”, p.92. One can imagine each being a specific approach of how to handle knowledge or behave in a social gaming/learning environment.

1. The Competitor: Plays to best other players, regardless of the game
2. The Explorer: Curious about the world, loves to go adventuring; seeks outside boundaries – physical or mental
3. The Collector: Acquires items, trophies, or knowledge; likes to create sets, organize history, etc.
4. The Achiever: Plays for varying levels of achievement; ladders and levels incentivize the achiever
5. The Joker: Doesn’t take the game seriously – plays for the fun of playing; there’s a potential for jokers to annoy serious players, but on the other hand, jokers can make the game more social than competitive
6. The Artist: Driven by creativity, creation, design
7. The Director: Loves to be in charge, direct the play
8. The Storyteller: Loves to create or live in worlds of fantasy and imagination
9. The Performer: Loves to put on a show for others
10. The Craftsman: Wants to build, craft, engineer, or puzzle things out.